


(Un)like Father, (Un)like Daughter

by sarahsharpe1231



Category: Black Lightning (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2019-04-07 02:16:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14070669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarahsharpe1231/pseuds/sarahsharpe1231
Summary: Jennifer may have forgiven her father, but they still have more questions for each other. (Post-1x09)





	(Un)like Father, (Un)like Daughter

**Author's Note:**

> My first Black Lightning fic!!!!
> 
> Oh my god. Jen's storyline. Guys. It's brilliant. I think the reason I might be so attracted to it is because it actually reminds me a LOT of Cisco's storyline--in the sense that they both feared what their powers meant for them.
> 
> The scenes Jen had with Anissa, Lynn (THIS FREAKING SCENE!!!!), and Jeff this week were all beautiful and great but I felt like there's more she could've said to her dad. Hence, this fic.
> 
> As you can tell from the first few lines, it's set after they finish the movie! Enjoy!!! This will hopefully be the first of MANY Lightning-centric fics!

Ray and Evangeline twinkled in the night sky. Ne-Yo’s swooning voice started playing over the ending credits. Jen had always loved this song. Every time it played on Disney Channel when she was eight, she would always belt it out to the annoyance of her sister. The memory made her laugh.

“Can I see it?” Jeff suddenly asked her.

“What?” Jen asked, looking at her dad.

Jefferson held out his left hand in front of him. Jennifer watched as her father’s eyes turned blue and blue electricity crackled in his palm and and around his fingers.

“Can I see it?” he asked again.

Jennifer’s heart rate started to accelerate but she followed her father’s wishes. Hesitantly, she pulled her right arm out from underneath the blanket. Jeff saw that she was scared to place her hand on his.

“It’s okay,” he assured her. “You won't hurt me.”

Jennifer quickly nodded and lightly placed her fingers on her dad’s hand. She then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When her eyes opened, they were orange and the same color electricity began to flow through her hand. Jefferson always had an answer for everything but for the first time in a while, he was speechless. Suddenly, Jennifer pulled her hand back.

“Sorry,” she said. “Just…it’s weird.”

“Yeah,” Jeff agreed.

“But it feels good,” she said staring at her hand and wrinkling her eyebrows.

“Yeah,” Jeff agreed again.

“How do you live with this?” Jennifer asked, looking up at her dad once again.

“Well, I take it one day at a time,” he said. “As will you. You know, when I first got these powers, I was scared, too. I didn’t know what was happening to me or where they came from. I had your mom and Uncle Gambi…and they helped but…they couldn’t give me the answers I was looking for. But your mom and sister and I—we will be right here, by your side, every step of the way. You don’t have to go through this alone.”

“I know,” Jen said after taking another deep breath. “Thanks.”

“Anything for you, baby girl,” Jefferson said and leaned in to kiss her forehead. “You know, I wouldn’t be disappointed if you didn’t want to go back to school tomorrow.”

“No, I…I need to go back,” Jennifer said, scratching her head. “It’s one of the few things in my life that…has stayed normal. I need to be with my friends.”

“Okay,” Jeff said. “I’m proud of you.”

“Dad, you wouldn’t be upset if I didn’t follow in yours and Anissa’s footsteps, right?” Jennifer asked.

“Of course not, sweetheart,” Jeff replied. “No one’s asking you to do anything. I didn’t even ask Anissa. She just started going out there by herself.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Jennifer said as she let a smile cross her face.

Suddenly, those worries that had been plaguing her thoughts all came rushing back. Tears started to fall down her face.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Jeff said, rubbing his daughter’s upper arm. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s just—my life will never be what it was again,” Jennifer said, trying to find the right words.  “It wasn’t perfect…by any means…but it was normal. I guess…because of that… _Thank you_ …for not telling me. Sixteen years may not be a lot but…who knows how different my life would’ve been had I known.”

“You and Anissa would’ve spent every day and night worrying about me—like your mother,” Jefferson said, already knowing the answer. “We hoped…ignorance would’ve been bliss.”

“It was,” Jennifer replied as she leaned back on her father’s arm. “It was.”


End file.
